100 Words of Writing Advice from Brianna Avenia-Tapper, Profiles Editor

1. Words matter. Story matters. Your story matters. Tell yourself this exactly 8,214 times a day. 
   
   
2. Be willing to write poorly. Expect to write poorly. 
   
   
3. When you think you have a decent draft, take a break. Then, go back and try to cut the word count by half. Even if you don’t keep the cuts, this helps you figure out what the piece is really about.
   
   
4. Keep a supply of peanut butter cups on hand at all times. 
   
   
5. Eat the peanut butter cups.
   
   
6. Refuse to feel bad about it (the writing and the peanut butter cups).

~Brianna Avenia-Tapper, Profiles Editor

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Brianna Avenia-Tapper is a writer and mom passionate about bringing caregiving-focused art to a broad audience. She has published personal essays in MuthaMagazine and Pigeon Pages, and is currently seeking representation for her hybrid memoir, Deciduata. Formerly a teacher in the US, Russia, and Kazakhstan, she lives in NYC with her family.